Dolorosa: Comfort Signless
by KatyRebel413
Summary: Dolorosa, it seems your ward is upset. It seems the other children are teasing him. No, you can't cull them! They are just children. What will you do?


The sound of children's laughter fills the midnight air as I sit on a blanket near a small park. I'm attempting to mend a pair of Signless's pants that he somehow managed to tear almost to shreds. I honestly don't know how one child can do so much damage to anything. It might be time that I made him a new pair. He's getting bigger and has outgrown most of the clothes I've made him any ways. Even the outfit he's wearing now doesn't seem to fit quite right anymore.

I look up from my work and realize that, in my musing, I lost track of Signless. I hurry to pack our things in my bag as I rise to search for him.

"Signless?" I call.

He doesn't respond.

Panic rises in me as I continue to call his name only to receive no response in return. There are so many Lusi here, I can't help but worry. Some Lusi eat young Trolls. They usually use their ward as either bait or a weapon.

I must appear to be absolutely mad the way I'm running around, calling a child's name. There are only a few adult Trolls here with wards of their own. Each of them has a worried look when I ask if they've seen Signless.

"I think I saw him by the edge of the woods," one said, rolling a ball back and forth with a little girl. She looks to be about half a sweep younger than Signless.

Another Guardian, carrying a cranky little teal blood. "Are you the rust blood's Guardian? The one with the nubby horns?"

"Yes," I say frantically. "I can't find him. Please, have you seen him?"

He points towards the forest. "He was playing with some of the older children, highbloods." I thank him and make to run after my child. He catches my arm before I can get past him, "Those kids are bad news, Dolorosa. I hope you find Signless." I'm running the second he lets go of my arm.

I hear voices the closer I get to a clearing a few meters from the park. The cruel laughter and soft sobs grow louder the closer I get. I freeze when I hear some of the comments these older boys are making towards my son. All of the comments are mean, but one stands out in particular.

A young cerulean blood shoves Signless to the ground and laughs, "What makes you so special?! You don't even have a Lusus, you freak. I bet you're Guardian doesn't even love you like you think she does."

I'm furious by the time I finally reach them. "How DARE you speak like that to him?!" I shout, startling all five of the highbloods gathered around Signless.

"Mommy!" Signless sobs, scrambling into my arms.

My skin is glowing, I'm so mad. How could anyone, even a child, be so cold hearted to someone so innocent? "I should cull every single one of you where you stand for how you've treated him," I growl, holding Signless as close to me as I can without hurting him. "I know that your Lusi are not raising bullies of any sort." I know this for a fact. I helped place each of these children with their respective Lusus. They were trouble even as wrigglers, always pushing and biting the other wrigglers, especially the younger broods and the runts. "Get out of my sight."

"Yes ma'am" they say in perfect unison before running off to find their Lusi.

Only now do I feel safe enough to let go of Signless. I kneel down and set him on the ground in front of me, looking over him for injuries. He's still crying, clutching the hem of his shirt with a death grip. He only does this when he's extremely upset. I gently place my hands on either side of his face, wiping away the bright red tears, and press my forehead to his. It breaks my heart to see him cry.

"Are you hurt?" I ask.

He shakes his head, refusing to look me in the eye. That last comment must have really gotten under his skin.

I kiss his forehead and pull him into a tight hug. He cries harder, clinging to me. Running my fingers through his curly hair, I say, "I really do love you, my child. I love you to the moons and back."

He looks up at me for a second before leaning up and kissing my cheek. "I love you, too, Mommy," he says as he clings to me once again.

"Let's go home, okay?" I stand, situating him on my hip. "It's getting late."

As if to prove my point, he yawns, resting his head on my shoulder. "Okay, Mommy."

When we reach the park, the bullies and their Lusi are gone. The other Guardians go out of their way to approach us and make sure Signless is okay. It's nice to have such a good relationship with the few other Guardians in this town. I'm glad I wasn't the only one that was worried about Signless.

Once we leave the park, the walk home is quiet. The only sound to be heard is the lullaby I'm humming as Signless sleeps. I had long since repositioned him from sitting on my hip to being cradled in my arms.

I continue to hum his favorite lullaby as I tuck him in once we reach our hive. I sit with him even though he's already sound asleep, watching over him.

Right now he's safe and sound at home. Right now he's safe in the peaceful world in his dreams. Right now he's peaceful.

Right now he's happy and that's all that matters.


End file.
